


Back to Youth

by PhantomPhan16, VicenteValtieri



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 10:06:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15628383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomPhan16/pseuds/PhantomPhan16, https://archiveofourown.org/users/VicenteValtieri/pseuds/VicenteValtieri
Summary: An accident reverts Medic to a child. Spy becomes like a father to him even as they try to reverse it. Slight Medic/Heavy





	1. Chapter 1

Spy rushed into the infirmary having sworn he could hear a child. He froze and stared down at a little boy, no more than three, in Medic's far too big clothes and glasses. The toddler was whimpering and whining, clutching the large vest in his little hands.

Spy's cigarette fell out of his mouth, "Doctor?"

Big, teary blue eyes looked up at him. The tot got to his feet and held up his arms to be picked up, subconsciously trusting the masked man. Spy picked him up.

"Doctor, how did this happen?"

He looked around.

"Doctor? Vhere? No shots! Bitte!" he pleaded with the Frenchman.

"Erm. Johann, how did this happen?"

"Don't know. Vhere ve?"

"The RED Base. Do you remember anything?"

"What's goin' on?"

He turned to see Engie behind him. Johann waved shyly.

"Whoa. What happened?"

"I have no idea, and I'm not sure he does either."

"Huh. Hey, little feller."

"Hallo."

"Make a friend with your Spy huh?" "Ja!"

"Well, we're gonna try and get you back to normal. Aww, hell, who's gonna tell the big guy?"

Spy handed Johann to the Texan quickly.

"Good luck!"

"Hey!" Engineer called after him, then looked down at the kid, "...Let's go get you something to eat, pardner."

"Okay."

He made his way to the kitchen, where Scout was pouring cereal.

"Where'd you get the kid, Engie."

"Johann," the little German said.

"Joahnn, but ain't the- holy crap. You mean-"

"Medic is in over his head again, yep."

"Just great. Uh, hey,... kiddo. You hungry?"

Johann nodded.

"Let's see what we got."

Engie opened the fridge. The tot perked up in his arms and pointed.

"Milk?"

"All rightie. Milk. Comin' up."

Scout opened the cupboards and brought over some cereals as Mikhail and Sniper made their way in for breakfast, with Demo and Soldier not far behind.

"Hey, little guy, want any of these to eat?" Scout asked.

"Who is child?"

Scout and Engie jumped.

"Uhhhh...."

Johann waved, and Sniper smiled.

"G'day, lil' Roo. What's your name?"

"Johann!" he chirped.

"Johann?" Heavy looked up at Engie. "Is not..."

"Yeah, Heavy, it is. It's Medic," Engie sighed, "He must have done somethin’ to himself."

Scout was now pouring Johann a bowl of cereal.

"What do we do, Engie? I mean, how do we fix the Doc?"

"I dunno. I'll go over what he was workin’ on and see if I can find anythin’."

"Go on, mate. We'll watch the little bugger."

"Yeah. Hey, Johann, you want to play catch after breakfast?"

"...Catch?"

"Yeah, with a ball?" Scout tried to explain.

He still looked confused.

"Don't worry, we'll teach ya, and I bet you'll have loads of fun," said Sniper.

"All right."

The child dug into his cereal.

Soldier finally reached them. Demo was quick to smile and make the child smile, but Sniper and Scout tensed as Solider reached them. You just never knew what the man was going to say or do next.

"...Hey, squirt. What's a growing kid doing eating gruel?" The man turned on Scout, "This is your doing you skinny dolt! Children need bacon!"

Promptly, he reached into the fridge and dumped a whole package of bacon into a pan.

"Can't trust any of you to do anything right."

Scout and Sniper looked at each other.

"That was... almost normal. Weird."

"You maggots get the flour and baking soda! Growing children need biscuits too!"

Johann watched all of this with a bemused expression. This adult was strange but nice in a way. The adult with one eye was funny and nice as he refilled Johann's milk.

"There ya go, laddie."

"Danke!" he chirped.

Soldier plopped a rasher of bacon and biscuits in front of Johann along with a jar of jam.

"Eat up, Maggot! Can't get big without protein!"

"That's a lot for a child, Soldier," said Spy as he decloaked.

Johann perked up at his presence and climbed down from his chair to go to the Frenchman with little arms up.

"Eating makes you big! Children should eat, sleep, and fight!"

"Solly, kids shouldn't fight. They should play, mate. Have fun."

Scout's jaw dropped as the usually high and mighty Spy bent down and picked up Johann.

"Play fighting is good to!"

"A little bit if I guess."

Johann pulled at Spy's mask curiously, and the man put a firm but gentle hand over his.

"Non, petite colombe. That must stay there."

Johann pouted.

"No, those big eyes won't work on me. Come, you should eat some of what Soldier gave you," he said, putting the toddler back in his seat.

Johann began nibbling the bacon. Spy opened a biscuit and spread it with jam for him.

"Danke,” he said politely.

"You're welcome."

He caught sight of Sniper smirking. Scout his disappeared to locate a ball better suited to playing catch with Johann than one of his hard baseballs.

"What is it, bushman?"

"Nothin'. Just watching."

"And smirking?"

"Well, hard not to with you playin' dad over there."

"Hmph," Spy turned up his nose at him.

Scout came down with a soccer ball in hand.

"This should be big enough for him to catch, right, Snipes?"

"Yep. That looks good."

Johann stopped eating once he was full and bounced outside, holding Sniper's hand. He giggled as he threw the soccer ball to Scout. Spy was cloaked nearby, keeping watch.

"Good throw," Sniper praised,

"All right. Throw it to Sniper now."

Scout gently tossed it back. He missed the catch but happily chased the ball as it rolled away.

"He's adorable," Scout commented, laughing.

"Yeah he is."

Spy followed Johann and the ball but decloaked and snatched up the child, leaping backwards.

"Spy?"

"Bushman, some assistance please."

Sniper started over and heard the rattling.

"Piss!"

He pulled up his rifle and looked for the snake's head.

"Gotcha."

He fired once, killing the snake.

"Good shot, Snipes!"

Spy looked at the shaking Johann.

"Johann, look at me. Did it bite you, petite colombe?"

Johann shook his head and hugged Spy.

"Good. Come, we will go inside for now."

Scout came up to Sniper.

"That was way too close."

"Agreed. Gonna hunt some rattlers. Tell Engie to get ready to make a stew tonight."

Sniper picked up the first rattler and tied it to his belt, heading off.

"Yeah," He headed inside, "Yo, Engie."

"What's up, Scout?"

Engie was tinkering with a tool.

"Snipes said to be ready to make stew tonight. He's out hunting rattlesnakes. One... one almost bit Johann," Scout said, trying to keep Heavy from hearing.

"Haven't had a rattlesnake stew in a while. Should be interestin'."

"Yeah."

 Scout turned around right into MIkhail.

"Aw crap."

"You say leetle doktor vas bitten?!"

"No, Spy got him out of the way."

"Vhere is doktor now?!"

"Spy's got him."

Heavy went off to find them. He found Spy sitting in the living room with Johann on his lap, wrestling the remote away from Soldier and changing it to a kid-friendly show.

"MASH is a kid-friendly show! It's about AMERICANS!" Soldier was protesting.

"Cartoon are a better choice for one so young, Soldier. He does not need to watch about war and soldiers when he lives here."

The cartoon featured a cat and mouse fighting in hilarious ways.

Mikhail sat down beside them and pulled Johann into his lap, hugging him. The boy was confused but certainly wasn't about question more hugs, so he hugged back.

"Johann is okay?"

"Ja!"

"I assure you, Mikhail, he is unharmed. He even asked to see the snake now that it can't bite him."

"Good. Doktor should stay avay from bad snake!"

Scout passed by, ruffling his hair.

"Hey, tough guy, I'm headin' into town real quick. What's a toy you really, really want?"

"Teddy barchen!"

"Sure thing, pal. Hey, Engie, you got the keys?"

"Catch!"

Spy left Johann to watch cartoons with Mikhail and headed outside. It didn't take him long to find Sniper.

"Careful, Spook. Got a nest under the damn woodpile."

"A nest of them? Have you got them all?"

"Not yet. Killed the male, but the female's own in the hole. Got get her and the eggs, 'specially if Johann's gonna play outside."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yeah. We need to move the wood, carefully. She's down in the hole, but she ain't gonna stay there once we uncover it. Be ready with yer Dead Ringer."

Spy pulled out the watch and charged it.

"All right. Lets start movin'."

They began moving the wood, alert to the presence of the snake below them. The final piece was moved, and she lunged for Spy. Sniper struck with his kukri, cutting her in two.

"Ugh," Spy patted his shirt down when the dust cleared.

They destroyed the eggs and filled in the hole.

"That about does it," Sniper said.

"Good. Our young doctor can walk in safety."

They returned just as Scout did.

"I'm back! I got food, beer, and best of all, toys for a certain little tough guy!"

"Scout!"

Johann rushed out to him.

"Hey, little man! What's the magic word?"

"Bitte?"

Johann hugged his knees.

"Hey, tough and smart! Let me put the food away, and we'll open your toys, okay?"

"I can put the food away, mate," Sniper said as he and Spy walked up.

"Did you get the snakes?"

Scout handed over the bags.

"Yeah."

Johann was tugging both Scout and Spy to the living room rug. Scout laughed.

"Okay, lets see what we got, huh?"

Johann tugged on Spy's hand until the Frenchman resigned himself and sat down with them. Scout pulled a brown teddy bear with a red bow tie out of a bag first.

"Teddy!"

Johann hugged the fluffy bear. He held it up to show Spy and Mikhail, who had come to join them.

"What a lovely bear," Spy ruffled his hair.

Next came a box of Duplo Lego Bricks, which had all three of them looking confused. Spy had seen Lego Bricks in stores before but never these large ones.

"These are the newer Legos for younger kids. They can't choke on these," Scout said.

"Then ve can built towers, leetle Doktor."

"Yay!" he chirped, bouncing a little in Spy's lap.

"Not so hard, petit."

"Sorry."

A few toy cars and even, to everyone's amusement, a toy doctor's kit, Johann was happily playing on the rug with Scout and Mikhail, building a tower. Engie and Sniper set to work making dinner. Johann finally seemed to notice that Spy was gone and darted over to the man, who was standing at an open window. The Frenchman gently pushed him away.

"Non, petit, I am smoking."

"What's smoking?"

"It's a very bad habit, petit," he held up his cigarette, "This is a cigarette, if you see me with one then you may not get too close for a while."

"Why do it?"

"Because it relaxes me."

He gently nudged the tot.

"Go play, petit."

"All right..." Johann slowly walked away.

"Ya know there are other ways you could relax, Spook, if you could bare to quit smokin'."

"My vices are not your business, bushman."

"Maybe, but the little Doc' sure loves ya. You doing somethin' bad that means he can't be by ya seemed to get him down."

Spy looked over at where Johann was playing. He didn't seem as excited now and looked over at Spy. The man quickly looked away.

"Perhaps you have a point, Bushman."

He knew smoking was taking a toll on his health anyway, and Engie had no idea where to start figuring out how to return Johann to normal. If the child insisted on clinging to him perhaps it would be for the best.

He flicked the cigarette away.

"I will start cutting down."

"Good on ya, mate."

He took a mint from his pocket and sucked on it to clear his breath. Johann seemed to notice the lack of anything in his hands and scampered over but halted a little way away hesitantly.

"Come here, mon petite."

Spy held out his arms. He all but flew into the Spy's arms.

"Look at that. A regular ol' Dad," Scout teased.

Spy shot him a scolding look.

Mikhail chuckled, "Is right. Spy acts like papa."

Spy chuckled slightly.

"Hmm. Well, what does that make you, my friend?"

"Just Misha but makes Scout brother."

"Hell, yeah it does!"

Ludwig giggled from Spy's arms.

"Dinner's ready, boys. Come git it!" Engie called out.

"Come, mon petit, time to eat."


	2. Chapter 2

Thunderstorms over base were violent and wild. Spy heard his door open and small running feet made him put down his gun. He was still unprepared for Johann all but divebomb him, landing square on his stomach.

He no longer smoked in his room, so Johann could come and go as he pleased, instead smoking outside or at an open window, and he was working on quitting, slowly cutting back little by little. Now he had to focus on trying to draw breath back into his body as it left him all at once.

"Johann? What is wrong?" Spy asked as he sat up.

Thunder rattled the windows of the base and seemed to shake the earth as it roared. The tot squealed and tried to burrow into Spy's torso, shaking.

"Oh, mon petit, it's all right. The storm can't hurt you in here."

"It's loud!" Johann's teeth chattered.

"Yes, I know, but that's all it is. Noise."

He trembled against the Frechman.

"I don't like it."

"It can be scary, but there is nothing wrong with being afraid, ma petite colombe. I used to be afraid of storms when I was your age."

Johann looked up at him with wide eyes.

He chuckled.

"That surprises you, mon petit? Everyone gets scared sometimes, even grown ups," he said, running a hand through the soft, dark hair.

"Really?"

"Really."

Spy kissed his forehead. He hid his face in Spy's chest at another roar of thunder.

"Shh. I will keep you safe, Johann."

"Promise?"

"Of course. Who do you think I am that I wouldn't promise you that?"

"...I'm sorry."

He leaned close.

"What for, mon petit? You have done nothing wrong."

"I didn't think you would keep me safe. I'm sorry."

He gently made the child look at him.

"Johann, I will protect you with my life. I promise."

He nodded and nestled in as the storm died down. Spy lay down as the tot yawned and began to drift off.

"Good night, ma petite colombe," he said, kissing the little head.

"Good night,... Papa," he mumbled around a last yawn.

*******

Spy grumbled as a weight settled on his chest.

"Papa."

He groaned, sure he was dreaming. Little hands patted his cheeks.

"Papa, vake up."

"No, ma petit. Five more minutes," he grumbled.

"Papa, breakfast!"

He sighed and opened his eyes when it suddenly dawned on him that Johann was actively calling him 'papa'. He smiled to himself and sat up, hugging the small child.

"Ah, but who is cooking, ma petit?"

"It's Heavy, not Soldier," Johann assured him.

"Good. It will be edible AND taste good."

He dressed and helped the tot dress, coming Johann's hair and pulling on his mask.

"Papa, why wear that?"

"To protect my identity so other cannot use it against me."

Of course, the team, by now, had seen him without his mask. Whether he took it off and they caught him, or he pulled it off during a battle when it became a nuisance. When soaked or muddy it would fall into his eyes or make it hard to breathe through his nose. Once it caught on fire from the BLU Pyro, resulting in him ripping it off, and the nearby Scout, running to pat down his jacket as he patted his smoking hair.

"Oh. Okay. Can I have one?" Johann asked.

He chuckled, "I'm sure we can make one that will fit you, me petite colombe."

"Please!"

"Come, lets go have breakfast."

They headed downstairs.

"I want you to stay inside today, Johann. The ground will be very wet and muddy from the storm last night."

"Yes, Papa," he said.

The others immediately turned at the title he had given Spy.

"Any progress, Engineer?" Spy asked the Texan.

"'Fraid not. I can't figure out for the life of me what happened to the Doctor."

"That is not the best news we could have."

"Yeah I know. Look, that medigun seems to be working just fine. So, I don't know what to do. Johann, go on and wake up Scout."

"Okay!"

He darted off.

"Engineer? ... Dell?"

"The only solution I got, and it's a long shot... is RESPAWN," he said quietly.

"...I would rather not risk that."

"Then I don't have an answer, Spy. He's gonna stay a kid and have to grow up again."

Heavy nearly dropped the pan. Spy became agitated.

"Keeping in mind that Johann is a child, is any of you bastards cold enough to actually kill him?"

There was a long, uncomfortable silence and they all exchanged glances and shook their heads.

"Then it is not even an option. Unless you're cold enough to send him out during a battle and let the BLUs take shots at him."

"All right, Spy. It's not going to happen. He's just a kid. I guess... I guess we're just going to have to live with that."

Spy nodded then looked at Heavy.

"Mikhail-"

"...Heavy does not vant to talk about this."

"I'm sorry, mon ami, but... we have no other choice."

"Misha knows."

"Even if he never remembers what you two were, you can still be in his life."

"Da, I know."

"Guess that settles it. Should I ring up Miss Pauling for... adoption papers, Spy?"

He paused, evidently not having gotten that far.

"I do not know yet. I will speak to the boy, ask his opinion."

Scout came jogging in with Johann on his shoulders.

"Why the long faces, fellas? You've got the two most handsome guys around in here!"

"Scout, do you mind handing Johann to me? Johann, come here," Spy held out his arms.

The young man handed him over and went to Engie.  Johann took his hand and let himself be led outside to a spot overlooking a gulch. It was a peaceful, warm place and Spy sat down, encouraging the child to settle beside him.

"Vas I bad?"

"Of course not, mon colombe. Johann, we'll be here for a while yet, but when we leave would you like to come with me? Would you... like to be my son?"

"...Of course, Papa," Johann looked up at him, "...Papa... Can I ask a question?"

"What is it, mon petit?"

"Why is Heavy always sad when he looks at me?"

He sighed and pulled his new son into his lap.

"There was a man, our doctor, who... left about the time you came here. He... was sick so he had to go away. Heavy and the doctor loved each other very much, and you remind him of the doctor."

"Oh. That's sad. Vill the doctor get better?"

"I'm afraid he won't, colombe. We got news today that he won't be coming back."

"Oh," Johann began sniffling.

"What's the matter, cheri?"

"I'm sad..."

"Because Heavy won't see the doctor?"

He nodded.

"I know it's sad. We're all sad. He was our friend."

"Why won't he be coming back?"

Spy looked down at the child, then out at the gulch.

"...There was an accident. It caused him to become sick. Now, he's gone."

"Oh..."

"Ma petit colombe, do you trust me?"

"Ja, Papa. Vhy?"

"Stand up and look down into the ravine, ma petit."

"Ja, Papa," Johann stood up and went to the edge of the overlook, staring down, "It is very deep."

"Oui, it is, mon colombe."

He took a deep breath.

******

Spy smoked three cigarettes on the overlook before the Doctor made his way out to him.

"You should not smoke zhose. Zhey are bad for your healzh."

He sighed, feeling his eyes burn for a moment.

"I am aware. I have... had a bad morning."

The doctor sat down beside him and stared out over the ravine.

"...I avoided zhe ozhers coming out here. Do you vant to make up a story? Vhatever you say, I vill back it up."

"What kind of story could we make up? You suddenly reverted back to normal out of the blue? Then we'd have to answer why we didn't immediately go back in."

"You vant to tell zhe you pushed me?"

"... I almost jumped after."

There was an awkward moment of silence and Medic put an arm around him, pulling him close.

"...You vould hafe RESPAWNED."

"I know, but I could have at least said I was holding you and slipped... or tried to catch you."

"...Ja," The doctor stood up, "Ve cannot remain out here all zhe day. Vill you come vith me?"

He nodded and got to his feet.

"Oh, und for zhe record... you vere a good papa vhile it lasted."

"...I hope I was."

"Ja, you vere. I owe you a debt. Consider zhis part of it," And the Doktor threw him into a headlock and over the side with him.

A few minutes later, they came through RESPAWN together.

"What the- Doc?! DOC!!! FELLAS, DOC'S BACK!!!!"

Ludwig picked himself up, groaning.

"Vater? Are you all right?"

"Of course. Are you?"

"In mint condition," Johann leaned closer, "Though I might not stand vith my back to you at any high places for avhile."

He helped Spy up as Mikhail burst in.

"JOHANN!!"

"Mish-AH!" he yelped as he swung up by his beloved and squeezed.

The breath left him in a squeak.

"What the samhill happened?" asked Engie as the others all rushed in.

"Ve vere at zhe rafine und I slipped," Medic replied from Mikhail's arms, "Und now I don't beliefe Misha vill put me down for a veek."

"Not for month!"

"But Misha you can't hold me all zhe time."

"Yeah! We need to dogpile him too, ya know."

"Nefermind."

Engie - always too smart for anyone's good - took things in with one trace of his sharp eyes and patted Spy on the shoulder.

"You did good with him, Spah. Weren't a bad father either." They followed Mikhail out of RESPAWN.

"Thank you, my friend. At last new we have him back, though I suppose that means I can pick up my smoking ag-"

Medic boot nailed him in the face.

"Dummkopf!"


End file.
